Pats retain vet Warren, drop oft-released Underwood

BY NICK ST. DENIS

As expected, the Patriots retained the services of veteran defensive lineman Gerard Warren Thursday. And as we're used to, they released receiver Tiquan Underwood.

The 33-year-old Warren has been successful the last two years with the Patriots in his role as another big body to take some of the load off of Vince Wilfork. Warren made 16 tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery in 12 games last season after tallying 36 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 16 games and 12 starts in 2010.

Warren, who has amassed 467 tackles, 36.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and 18 passes defensed in his 11-year career, played in all three of the Patriots' playoff games last season. Warren previously played for the Browns, Broncos and Raiders.

Underwood, on the other hand, gained his popularity by being the lucky man who got dropped from the gameday roster the evening before the Super Bowl in February. He's now been signed and released by the Patriots three times since the end of August.

Underwood was a seventh-round draft choice by the Jaguars in 2009. He caught three passes for 30 yards last season in five appearances with the Patriots.

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Jets' 2nd-round pick receiver Hill inks four-year deal

BY NICK ST. DENIS

Stephen Hill was happy to be a Jet last weekend. This weekend, he'll likely be even happier.

Thursday, Hill and the Jets agreed to terms on a four-year deal worth just under $5 million, which was first reported by the Newark Star-Ledger.

According to ESPN New York, Hill's agents had been negotiating Hill's contract with the Jets since last Saturday, a day after Hill was drafted in the second round at No. 43 overall.

As part of Georgia Tech's triple-option offense, Hill didn't get a ton of passes thrown his way in college, though he saw enough action to prove his ability in getting after tough up-for-grabs passes. His speed at the NFL Combine was also impressive.

Hill was required to do plenty of downfield blocking in his college system, which will serve him well in the Jets' ground-and-pound offense.

Patriots, Dolphins reflect on news of Seau's passing

Junior Seau, who passed away Wednesday from what police say was a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest, was a 12-time Pro-Bowler and 10-time All-Pro.

After playing the first 13 years of his career with the Chargers, he spent three seasons with the Dolphins and four more with the Patriots. As one of the NFL's best linebackers of all time, Seau was considered by those closest to him an even better person off the field.

The Patriots and Dolphins released the following statements of Seau's passing on their respective teams' websites:

Gaffney latest addition to Patriots' loaded WR corps

Photo: Karen Cardoza, Flickr 

BY SEAN DONOVAN

The Patriots already had an astounding number of wide receivers on their roster, and they're reportedly adding another.

Free agent Jabar Gaffney will be returning to New England for a second stint with the Patriots, as first reported by ESPN's Josina Anderson.

Gaffney was a part of the 2007 Patriots team that set the all-time NFL record for points in a season. He will be reunited with quarterback Tom Brady and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

The Patriots have signed a number of free-agent receivers this offseason, including Anthony Gonzalez, Donte' Stallworth and Brandon Lloyd. Combined with 2012 seventh-round pick Jeremy Ebert, 2011 free-agent pickup Chad Ochocinco, veteran Deion Branch and franchise-tagged All-Pro Wes Welker, the Patriots are heavy on receiver talent and experience.

Julian Edelman, Tiquan Underwood, and Matthew Slater are also on the roster in addition to elite tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, who often play in the slot position.

Kelsay unwilling to cede No. 90, 'Mario understood'

BY NICK ST. DENIS

Mario Williams has a bigger contract than any defensive player in NFL history, but none of that money will go toward buying his old jersey number, at least from Chris Kelsay.

Kelsay, the Bills' second-longest tenured player, told the Buffalo News he's "not really interested" in dealing his jersey number (90) to newly-aqcuired fellow defensive end Williams, who wore No. 90 during his tenure with the Texans.

"People who have never played don't realize how attached you can actually get to a number," Kelsay said. "Having played with it my whole career, it was something I don't really want to part with and he completely understood. That was basically it."

Jets give kicker Folk a little competition in Brown

Photo: Nick St. Denis

BY NICK ST. DENIS

Kicker Nick Folk has been OK the last two years with the Jets. The Jets are letting him know that OK won't cut it.

New York signed kicker Josh Brown, formerly of the Rams, Tuesday to compete with Folk this offseason for Gang Green's starting boot position. Brown was cut last weekend after St. Louis drafted a kicker in the sixth round.

Last season, Folk was 11-for-12 on field-goal attempts under 40 yards and 8-for-13 on kicks 40 and over. He tallied 17 touchbacks on kickoffs.

Brown went 13-for-14 last season on kicks under 40 yards, tallying an 8-for-14 ratio on attempts from 40 yards and out. He added 15 kickoff touchbacks of his won.

John Harbaugh says Pats' legacy 'stained,' clarifies

BY SAM HOLLINGSWORTH

Ravens coach John Harbaugh, speaking on a Baltimore-area radio show Tuesday morning, said the Patriots’ three Super Bowl-winning seasons under coach Bill Belichick have “got asterisks now,” in reference to the Spygate scandal that surfaced in 2007.

“What happens, even the thing in New England, no matter whether those things had any impact on whether they won their championships or not, they got asterisks now. It's been stained,” Harbaugh said on 98 Rock in Baltimore when asked about the recent Saints scandal.

Spygate, which plagued the Patriots’ 2007 season after a staffer was caught illegally videotaping the New York Jets sideline during a game, had heavy consequences for the Patriots. The team was fined $250,000, forfeited a first-round draft pick and Belichick was fined $500,000.

“To me, it's never worth it,” Harbaugh said. “You have to figure out ways to use the rules to your advantage. You have to figure out ways to make the most of everything. We have new work rules here as far as what we can do and what we can't do with our players, and we're going to make the most of it.

“What we're finding is: ‘Man, maybe we can do some things even better than we did before, because these rules make us focus more on some things that we didn't focus on before.’

Nix: Bills 'committed to Fitz,' Young would be backup

Photo: Nathan Rupert, Flickr 

BY SEAN DONOVAN

The Bills will bring in veteran quarterback Vince Young for a workout Wednesday, according to BuffaloNews.com.

If signed, the two-time Pro Bowler would have a chance to compete with Tyler Thigpen to be Ryan Fitzpatrick's backup. Young spent last season as Michael Vick's backup in Philadelphia after five tumultuous seasons with the Titans, who drafted him third overall in the 2006 draft.

Young, 28, could provide a viable solution if Fitzpatrick were to get hurt. Though he only has a 74.4 career passer rating, Young is a threat to run out of the pocket and a natural playmaker who often saves his best stuff for when the game is on the line.

Although Young has a 31-19 career record as a starter, he would have no chance of supplanting Fitzpatrick, who signed a seven-year, $62 million deal last October.

Bills' wildcard pick Graham has specific role: speed

BY NICK ST. DENIS

T.J. Graham returned two punts and two kickoffs for touchdowns during his time at North Carolina State.

"Yeah. I wish I had more though," Graham said.

Maybe he was saving a few for the NFL. The Bills hope so.

Buffalo selected Graham, who is undersized by pro standards at under 190 pounds, in the third round of the NFL Draft. He fills two voids -- a speedy downfield threat and a return specialist.

Graham didn't just happen to end up with the Bills because he was the best available player or the best fit for the team when they were on the clock. He's a Bill because Buffalo traded up two spots for him, from No. 71 to No. 69. They got him for a reason.

“You just don't want to get that close and not get him,” Bills general manager Buddy Nix said.

Jets trying out Phil Simms' son, Jets RB coach's son

Photo: Tennessee Journalist, Flickr 

BY NICK ST. DENIS

Phil Simms has always been a defender of Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez.

This week, Simms' son will get an opportunity -- a miniscule one -- to be one of Sanchez's backups' backups. Or one of his backup's backup's backups. Or something.

Former Tennessee quarterback Matt Simms, son of the former Giants signal-caller and current CBS analyst, was one of 23 "tryout players" invited to work out with 10 undrafted free agents in the Jets' upcoming rookie minicamp this weekend.

Former Penn State defensive back D'Anton Lynn, son of Jets running backs coach Anthony Lynn, will also participate in the camp as an undrafted free agent. The Jets signed him Sunday following the final round of the draft.